New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-23
Issz-TwELyE PAGES

il was supposed that they would be thrown out
as matter of course, and for nearly two months
after the delivery Of the "caser the English peo-
pie and Government offered no objection to the pre-
sentatOn of the claims. But after q while the
Opposition party discovered that weapon might
be made of them against the Government, and the
Tories set themselves diligently to work to iniuIe
the administration by representing that it had
yielded to outrageous Yankee inSOence anil
bluff" The press took up the cry and the whole
English nation soon fell into one of the most alb
surd and hysterica fits of passion that sober John
Bull has ever suffered from. The Liberals became
frightened at the hubbub, and when Parliament
met the Government felt that its fate tTem-
bling The press proclaimed that arbitration must
not co on unless the claims were Withdrawn, and
such o storm was raised that the Government al
most Welded IL was "On TO Richmond over
again
But there were two parties TO the question.
The American Government held that England
had agreed to submit all the points at issue TO the
arbitrators There was a solemn treaty which had
been ratified and confirmed by the contcnding par
ties II the English should now withdraw from
the arbitration America would hold that they had
violated the treaty, and war might be the consc-
oucnce The greatest anxiety prevailed among
those who knew how imminent the danger was.
was still in London and on intimate terms with the
Minister, General SchencS and suppose as much
in his confidence as 1t was proper should he. How
hard he worked to avert war. how fertile he was
in invention how faithful to his oountrys inter
est, how dignifcd yet courteous in his attitude
toward England how anxious to discover means
Of avoiding rupture. nobody living knows better
than l. No finer diplomatic services were ever rem
dered the United States not even those OF Adams
during the Rebellion were more arduous or indIS-
pensable. single false STEP maladroit express
siOn an ll-tempcred inappropriate act might
have precipitated war; The members of the
Government loyal as they dared to
be they werc driven to bay by their enemies,
charged with descrting their own country but they
did not give up; they desired as earnestly as the
Americans to avoid a war and were undoubtedly
anxious to fulfil the stipulations OF tho treaty.
Mr. Disraei. to his credit be 1t said, did not one
thing, uttered not one word to distress or embar-
ig,Ss the Government or to prccipitate rupture.
He passed no harsh structures on America, just MS
he had refrained during the war itself from njuri-
Gus or offensive utterances in this he was more
self-containcd and politic than his great rival.
In the Government, IL one may say so, Lady
Waldegrave, whose husband. then Mr.. Chichester
Fortescue. had o seat in the Cabinet exerted her
self manfully She would not abandon hope when
everybody else said hope gone. She went
about in society purposely to exert an influence
favorable TO peace, and her conversational powers
were great as well as her social influence. re-
member more than once her language at her Sun
day afternoons in Carlton Gardens. where the
cleverest and most distinguished men in London
out Of the difficulty could and must be found that
England and America must not differ seriously.
Arbitration went on. Some ingenious brain
suggested that the arbitrators should decide with
out consulting England that the consequential
claims were out of court so that neither nation
receded and the frebrand, lighted by Sumner, was
quenched before 1t kindled one OF the mlghticst
CONGREGATIONS of modern times Then all proceeded
peacefully The arbitrator awarded damages to
America for what direct injuries the Alabama and
her consorts had inflicted England had already
expressed her regret new provision was inserted
in the code Of international law between the ma
lions, and England and America were friends.
When Grant visited England Gladstone was out
Of power and 1t fell to the Tories to enterta ain the
cX-lrcsident They did it with good taste and UNI
grudeing cordiality but it was hard that the man
who had made 1t possible for Grant IN receive
these honors IN England should have no share in
extending them. Everywhere the English people
greeted Grant as the statesman who had initiated
arbitration, as the warrior who preferred peace
with England to war. Addresses teemed with
paudits this account and orators We'd with each
other In their enthusiastic comments but Glad
stone, who as much as Grant, was entitled to the
credit OF arbitration was in disfavor then his
enemies invited him to none OF the banquets to
the American soldier, and do not remember that
the ex-Presidcnt and ex-Premier ever met, except
at the reception given to Grant at the house of the
American Minister. There the crowd was so great
that no especial conversation was possible, that
Grant never got a chance to see much OF his great
English cOmpeer.
Still among Gladstone's highest claims to honor
hereafter will be the fact that he avoided war with
America by consenting to atone for National
wrong while the glory Of settling peacefully
tremendous difference with, TO us at least, the most
important of modern nations, will be Grants grent
est proof OF craftsmanship. For given all the
honor they deserve to Fish and Schenck and Evarts
and Bancroft Davis and no four Americans have
earned equal credit in our day for any one act Of
civil life-stiI Grant was the head ii for him
ALWAYS to decide II he had been backward
certan-if he had failed in Judgment or nerve or
sagacity or decsion-the achievement would have
been impossible If there were no other act Of his
Administration worthy praise. this makes itwcll
for America that Grant has been President
ADAM BADEAU.